The ISO Type wine tasting glass is one of the most widely used styles of wine-tasting glassware. Its distinctive shape makes it easier to assess the appearance, aroma, and taste of wine, making it particularly popular with wine merchants, sommeliers, restaurants, vineyards, wine schools, and enthusiasts.
The 21.5cl ISO Type wine tasting glass is well known and widely used for wine tasting courses, professional tastings, and wine events. Its compact size provides enough room to swirl the wine and appreciate its aromas, while being easy to handle when making tasting notes or comparing several wines side by side.
But what makes an ISO Type wine tasting glass so useful, and why has this particular style become so popular?
What Is an ISO Type Wine Tasting Glass?
An ISO Type wine tasting glass is based on the internationally recognised design of wine-tasting glass described by ISO 3591:1977, Sensory analysis, Apparatus, Wine-tasting glass. The ISO standard describes a glass with an elongated, rounded bowl, a stem and a narrower opening designed to help concentrate the wine's bouquet.
The term ISO Type is commonly used to describe glasses made in this familiar wine-tasting style. They provide a consistent way to assess wine, making them suitable for tasting a wide range of styles from a single glass type.
Unlike many modern wine glasses that are designed specifically around a particular grape variety or wine style, an ISO Type tasting glass is intended to be versatile. The same basic shape can be used for red, white, sparkling, fortified, and other wines.
This makes ISO Type wine tasting glasses especially useful when assessing several different wines during the same tasting.
What Does ISO Mean?
ISO stands for the International Organisation for Standardisation, an international organisation that develops standards across a wide range of industries.
For wine tasting, the relevant standard is ISO 3591:1977, which specifies the characteristics of a wine-tasting glass. The standard describes the distinctive bowl shape and narrower opening, which helps concentrate the wine's bouquet.
It is important to distinguish between the ISO standard itself and the term ISO Type, which is used to describe commercially available glasses. An ISO Type wine tasting glass refers to the familiar design used for wine tasting, while individual manufacturers may produce glasses with slightly different dimensions, materials and specifications.
The result is a style of wine tasting glass that has become recognised and widely used by professionals and wine enthusiasts worldwide.
Why Are ISO Type Wine Tasting Glasses So Popular?
We could list many reasons why these glasses are so popular; however, a few features make them particularly well suited to wine tasting.
Designed for Wine Tasting
The shape of an ISO Type wine tasting glass makes it easy to examine wine from several different perspectives.
The rounded bowl provides enough space to swirl the wine, helping to release its aromas, while the narrower rim helps direct those aromas towards the nose. This makes it easier to assess the wine's bouquet before tasting.
The clear glass also lets you observe the wine's colour and clarity. This is an important part of wine tasting, as appearance can provide useful information about the wine before it is even tasted.
Suitable for Different Wine Styles
One of the biggest advantages of an ISO Type tasting glass is its versatility.
Rather than requiring a different glass for every grape variety or wine style, a suitable ISO Type glass can be used to taste a broad range of wines. This makes it particularly practical for wine courses, tastings and events where several different wines may be served.
ISO Type wine tasting glasses can be used for:
- Red wine
- White wine
- Rosé wine
- Champagne and sparkling wine
- Fortified wines
- Other wines and spirits where appropriate
This versatility is one of the reasons they remain popular with wine professionals, merchants, restaurants and wine educators.
Easy to Swirl
Swirling is an important part of wine tasting as it helps introduce oxygen to the wine and encourages its aromas to develop.
The rounded bowl of an ISO Type wine tasting glass provides enough space to swirl the wine without requiring an excessively large glass. The shape also makes the glass comfortable to hold and control during a tasting.
Concentrates the Aromas
The bowl of an ISO Type wine tasting glass narrows towards the rim. This helps to collect and concentrate the aromas above the surface of the wine, making them easier to appreciate when nosing the glass.
For anyone learning to identify different wine aromas, this is particularly useful. A well-designed tasting glass lets you focus on the wine's aromas rather than being distracted by an unsuitable shape.
Makes Comparing Wines Easier
Wine tasting often involves comparing two or more wines. Using the same style and size of glass for each wine provides a more consistent tasting experience.
The relatively compact size of an ISO Type tasting glass also makes it practical to place several glasses side by side. This allows tasters to compare colour, aroma and flavour between different wines while making notes.
Why Is the 21.5cl ISO Type Glass So Popular?
The 21.5cl (7¼ fl oz) ISO Type wine tasting glass is one of the most popular sizes for formal and professional wine tasting.
Its capacity provides enough room for a suitable tasting pour while leaving plenty of space in the bowl for swirling and allowing aromas to collect above the wine.
The 21.5cl size is particularly common for:
- Wine tasting courses
- Wine schools and education
- Wine merchant tastings
- Professional wine tastings
- Wine judging and assessment
- Restaurants and hospitality
- Wine clubs
- Home wine tasting events
Our Luigi Bormioli ISO Type 21.5cl wine tasting glass is particularly popular and is designed to provide a durable, practical option for regular tasting use.
However, 21.5cl isn't the only size available. We also offer ISO Type wine tasting glasses in other capacities, so you can choose the size that best suits your tasting or serving needs.
Find Your Ideal Wine Tasting Glass
Whether you're a wine professional, wine merchant, restaurant, educator or simply someone who enjoys tasting wine at home, an ISO Type wine tasting glass is a practical and versatile addition to your glassware collection.
The combination of a carefully considered shape, narrow rim, easy-to-hold stem and versatile capacity makes it particularly well suited to assessing wine. Add in the durability and dishwasher-safe properties of many modern versions, and it's easy to understand why this style of glass remains so popular.
Explore our full range of wine tasting glasses to find the right size and style for your next tasting.
